Bittersweet Heart (Ominis Gaunt x James Sharp)

The light will always hear a prayer

The castle was breathing deeply in sleep. He couldn't find a hit of the familiar steps. Maybe if listen closely or wait patiently he would come.

Dark circles under Ominis' eyes appeared more perceptible lately. He lay in the bed with clothes still on. The closer to this date Ominis becomes, the more he questioned his own decisions.

Does he live a worthy life?

He touched the Prefect badge. Smooth and cold. A pathetic mark of small power. It covered his shame for accepting it.

When other students saw this shiny stigma on him, became obvious how he could possibly get it. And now it didn't make any sense to try and show the difference between Ominis and the Gaunts as he used their privileges.

He cannot see the glances he received, but the endless whisper fulfilling his head. Sometimes it stayed with him even at night.

Could he ever be set free from the grip of the night? He wasn't sure if he was strong enough.

The silence broke by a little jingle. The melody streamed from behind the door. It sounded like a wind chime. It caught Ominis' attention. He sneaked to the source of it.

But there was nothing.

"Revelio", he cast inwardly. Something appeared in the air. A piece of parchment and a stone.

Ominis moved his fingers on the note:

"The twins who stayed behind the snake.

They won't let in those who don't belong.

Bring back the borrowed part for trade.

And hear how to bear the way among."

"Is this some riddle?" He twisted the stone. It has a form of a rhombus with one side slightly sharper. "Evidently enough."

Ominis moved to the entrance to their Common room'.

"Those who are behind the snake." He confidently walked toward the fountain with two mermaids. "Could this be..a tail scale?"

The wind chimes played again.

"I believe, this belongs to you", he whispered without being sure if he should talk to them.

At this moment the stone was drawn to the statue and Ominis heard the movement. And a moment later — clear voices. One singing, another — echoing.

"To pass the vice of the lonely way,

You shouldn't be scared to stay in dark,

The light would always hear the pray,

Embrace your heart and free it out."

He walked out from the hidden doorway and fell into darkness. There was no source of light. Ominis turned back to the door but couldn't find it again.

"Lumos! What-"

It didn't work, his eyes couldn't track any blink of the light.

"Alright- I need to calm down. It couldn't be anything serious."

He took a small step forward, trying to navigate with his wand, but it wasn't working. Ominis felt the wand was confused as if it couldn't see a thing either.

"Now. Calm down", he took a deep breath, feeling panic. "What did they say? The light should hear my pray, so I need to embrace the heart and free it."

He focused inside his mind, trying to keep it cool, taking slow breaths. The problem was exactly that he didn't want to dive into thoughts. There was not much pleasure in them.